5 DIY Projects To Add Value To Your Home

Summer is on the horizon, and many of us are eagerly planning the ways in which we’ll be spending our free time over the holidays. For many Brits, DIY projects are high on their agenda for the upcoming summer, with the nation set to spend an eyewatering £38.7 billion on DIY over 2023 alone. With the assistance of viral social media trends and tutorials, many households have felt inspired to grab a paintbrush, dig out their toolbox, and get to work. With over half of the population adamant that they’re planning to ‘do it themselves’ this year, there is a huge opportunity for UK homeowners to spruce up their properties and make positive changes. But which projects will have the most significant impact on your property, and add the most value?

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Garden TLC

Whilst the sun is out this summer, grab your tools and head outdoors for some basic landscaping! Remove weeds, add flowers and hanging baskets, and trim trees and hedges to neaten up your garden and make the most of the space you have available. In the current property market, gardens are extremely important to buyers, with research carried out by Zoopla indicating that a well maintained outdoor space was more important to buyers than a well maintained bathroom or kitchen. Considering the increasing importance of garden space, it’s no wonder that a well presented garden can add a huge 20% to the value of your property – so, if you’re stuck for DIY tasks to carry out this summer, give your outdoor space some TLC.

Paint the front door

The state of your front door is far more important than you may think – after all, it is a significant part of a valuer or buyer’s first impression of your property, so it ought to be in exceptional condition. Studies carried out by the Zillow Design Forecast demonstrated that pristine front doors painted a hue of grey or plain black could boost the value of the average property by £4,750. Similarly, Ideal Home suggest that a white front door can boost your home’s value by an additional £3,400, although you will likely have to work harder to maintain a light painted door than a darker one that can disguise scuffs and dirt.

Add storage space

A survey from Hammonds Furniture recently revealed that storage space is more important to prospective home movers than we once assumed, with 84% of those surveyed describing ample storage facilities as ‘essential’. A simple way to create more storage space is to implement storage units and shelving where possible. If building IKEA furniture isn’t quite to your taste, here are some other ways to utilise the space you already have in your home:

• Consider clearing space in your under-stair’s cupboard and using it as a pantry. This will help you de-clutter your kitchen and maximise the space you have available.
• if your loft space is full to the brim with boxes containing old school reports, childhood toys and photo albums, spend your next free weekend sorting out your possessions and clearing room in your loft. This can help prospective buyers view your loft as a large, viable storage space worth paying a premium for
• search for furnishings that are multi-functional, such as footstools with storage capability, bed frames with drawers, and fitted wardrobes that make the very most of your bedroom space

If you’re savvy with your storage choices, you can increase the value of your home by up to £12,500!

Repaint

If the idea of constructing IKEA cabinets isn’t your idea of a fun summertime task, you can still add value to your home with the help of a simple repaint. Over time, our homes are exposed to wear and tear – from chipped cabinet doors in your kitchen, to scuff marks on skirting boards, not to mention that many interior design choices that were once popular now look outdated. This is often nothing a lick of paint can’t fix!

Repainting worn cabinets and skirting boards can make your home appear fresh and rejuvenated, which is particularly beneficial if you are actively looking to sell your property and carry out viewings. If you’re looking to go beyond just painting your cabinets and furnishings by repainting your entire living space, we suggest opting for light, neutral colours – this will create the illusion of more space and works well with any bright feature colours you wish to implement across your interior décor.

But how much value could this add to your property? Research carried out by property giant Zillow suggest that your home could experience a value boost of over £2,000 – not bad for a £15 tin of paint!

Bathroom finishing touches

A fully fledged bathroom refurbishment may not sit within the range of the average person’s DIY skills, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t make a few small changes that can create a huge impact on the appeal of your WC. Focus on the chrome finishes throughout your bathroom – replace taps, light fixtures, and hang a towel rail in a similar silver chrome finish to create cohesion. Eliminate pesky water marks that form over time with the help of lemon juice, which will act as the perfect chrome polish thanks to its high acidity levels. Lastly, improve the appearance of your bathroom tiles with the help of a bleach pen, which can keep the grout in between your tiles looking as good as new – no need to hire a handman to carry out a professional refurb. All of these easy tasks can boost the value of your bathroom by over 2%!

Whether you’re considering selling your home in the near future, want to boost the value of your investment property with the help of some DIY tips, or simply want to spend your spare time adding helpful additions to your home – Centrick has you covered. The broad range of insightful blogs on the At Home With Centrick hub have been designed to provide you with the information and tools you need to improve your property in a variety of ways: from boosting your value and making savvy investment choices to saving money on your everyday living costs. For more tailored information on how you can add value to your home in 2023, fill out the form below and a member of the At Home team will be in touch!